Science and Technology Opportunities
Learn more about Air Force and Space Force science and technology challenges, broad agency announcements, grants, and funding.
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DSIP (Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal)
The official proposal submission website for the Department of Defense (DoD). The DoD announces the opening of the following SBIR and STTR funding opportunities:
- Air Force X23.6 CSO
2024 FUNDING PROPOSAL CALL #2
The AFRL Regional Network – Midwest is excited to announce that submissions are now open for the second funding call for 2024! This call will seek proposals from researchers who are members of the Midwest Regional Network, along with their AFRL and additional collaborators. Full details of the proposal process and submission portal can be found here.
Project Submission Opens: NOW OPEN!
Pre-proposal (Phase I) Due Date: March 22, 2024, 5PM EST
Advanced Development of Enhanced Operator Capabilities (ADEOC)
AFRL - AFOSR Funding Opportunities
AFRL Career Opportunities
Explore the many paths to employment with AFRL: Career, student and faculty opportunities.
AFWERX Challenges
Agility Prime
Air Force SBIR/STTR
ALTERNATIVE POSITIONING NAVIGATION, & TIMING CHALLENGE
SpaceWERX, in partnership with United States Space Force’s (USSF) Space Systems Command, is seeking cutting-edge ideas to rapidly advance US and Allied warfighter Positioning, Navigation, & Timing (PNT) capabilities with new sensors, data sources, and processing techniques to greatly improve PNT resilience.
The goal of the SpaceWERX Alternative Positioning, Navigation, & Timing (AltPNT) Challenge is to understand the art of the possible for alternate sources of PNT information that will augment and complement Modernized Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities to produce highly reliable, resilient multi-source military PNT.
Our Vision: Resilient PNT from any source, anywhere, all the time.
Broad Agency Announcement Schedule
Broad Agency Announcement Schedule
In this page, you can view active BAAs (pre-released or open for proposal submission) and upcoming BAAs, as well as access archived BAAs. DoD Components may release BAAs outside of the pre-scheduled Joint DoD BAA cycles. These will appear as Component BAAs, with a pre-release, open and close date, or as Annual BAAs, with topics released throughout the year with varying open and close dates. Please refer to each topic under the Annual BAAs for more information.
COMPETITION OPPORTUNITIES
SDA Issues Request for Future Optical Communication Waveforms
SDA seeks industry feedback on optical communications waveforms, ongoing work with other U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) agencies on datalinks and waveforms, and integrating datalinks and waveforms on future Tranches of the Proliferated Warfighter Defense Architecture (PWSA). This request for information (RFI) includes risk reduction efforts to support low data rate links, and long-range links, specifically space-to-space geometries of low earth orbit (LEO) to medium earth orbit (MEO) (L2M) and LEO to geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) (L2G) ranges.
Responses to this RFI will specifically inform SDA's Transport Layer Tranche 3 planning beginning in fiscal year 2024 (FY 2024) for subsequent acquisition efforts to be slated to begin in FY 2025. As currently envisioned, future generations of the Transport Layer may have different space vehicle variants. Tranche 3 is expected to operate via multiple planes at approximately 1000km in 80–90-degree inclination orbits.
For more information on this RFI and for proposal submission instructions, please visit the link below. Responses are due by 5:00
Cyber Survivability / Assured AI Assessment Event
DI, on behalf of the Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW), seeks novel solutions from businesses and universities in the field of Cyber Survivability with an emphasis on Assured Artificial Intelligence (AI). This is a funded opportunity and selected offerors will receive funding from AFRL/RW to conduct further research and development of their novel technology/solution.
Proposed solutions will be submitted in support of Air Delivered Effects Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Research Area #19: Cyber Survivability for Precision-Guided Munitions. Specific solutions being sought include:
- Verification and Validation of AI
- Trustworthiness for Autonomous Systems
- Functional Correctness for Autonomous Systems
- Safety for AI enabled Autonomous Systems
- Formal Verification/Methods/Proofing
- Hardware and Software Assurance Testing
- Cyber Resilience/Cyber Assurance/Cyber Survivability
Steps to participate:
- Read about Research Area #19: Cyber Survivability for Precision-Guided Munitions.
- Register for the Assessment Event Kick-Off webinar on January 24, 2024 to learn more about the technologies being sought and the context in which they will be used.
- Still interested? Download the Air Delivered Effects BAA and review submission requirements and instructions for the “Two Step Open BAA” beginning on pg. 29.
The submission period for this Assessment Event will run from January 29, 2024 to February 16, 2024. Please note, you are welcome to submit a white paper in support of the Air Delivered BAA after the submission period, but there is no guarantee that funds will remain available after this time.
For questions about the Assessment Event, or to learn more about R&D partnership opportunities with AFRL/RW, email techtransfer@doolittleinstitute.org.
For questions about the white paper submission process, email afrl.rwk.baaworkflow@us.af.mil.
Defense Acquisition University (DAU)
DAU is leading the effort to help the Department measure the innovation readiness of the Defense Acquisition Workforce and provide training and resources to develop and improve their readiness skills.
Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
Directed Energy Technology Experimentation Research (DETER) Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) Open Announcement
Updated Date Offers Due: Aug 10, 2027 05:00 pm MDT
This is an Open ARA announcement pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. §4023 (formerly 10 U.S.C. §2373). AFRL/RD is interested in receiving white papers and proposals through a Two-Step Process to perform research and development (R&D), modeling and simulation (M&S), design, component/subsystem, prototype risk reduction, fabrication/purchase, assembly, integration, and testing of directed energy source components (to include spares and alternate component technologies), and/or systems and any required accessories, materials, and supplies for laboratory research and experimentation and field trials in a relevant environment to demonstrate system capabilities. Dialogue between prospective Offerors and Government representatives is strongly encouraged. *Note: AFRL/RD reserves the right to collapse a white paper/Two-Step into a One-Step if the situation warrants the white paper contains sufficient technical detail to do full technical proposal evaluation instead of white paper evaluation.
Geospatial Research Laboratory CSO
The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Geospatial Research Laboratory announces a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) which aims to find technology that pioneers geospatial solutions for the Warfighter. This CSO contains broadly defined areas of interest that align with the lab’s mission to expand innovative geospatial solutions. While some of these areas of interest are geared toward meeting individual program requirements, the Government reserves the right to award contracts from this CSO to meet requirements of ERDC’s Geospatial Research Laboratory (GRL) at other locations with similar mission focus areas.
The CSO Solicitation document provides additional details and instructions.
High Power Electromagnetics (HPEM) Modeling and Effects BAA
- Updated Date Offers Due: Dec 21, 2026 12:00 am MST
This is a five (5) year Closed One-Step BAA with CALLs that will be utilized to solicit proposals for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Directed Energy Directorate (DE), High Power Electromagnetic Division (RDH), for research areas of interest for High Power Electromagnetics (HPEM) Modeling and Effects. This closed BAA approach allows for proposal submission at a specified date and time, which will be posted through the issuance of CALLs at various times against this BAA. As requirements within the technical topic areas are identified, CALLs will be issued in SAM.gov to request proposals for specific research efforts. Multiple subsequent CALLs are anticipated and may be announced sequentially or concurrently in SAM.gov. CALLs will be issued unrestricted. The Government reserves the right to re-issue previously announced CALL areas with a second, subsequent submittal period. The Government also reserves the right to issue no CALLs for any given technology area.
Lab-to-Orbit
Accelerating the Development and Testing of Materials for Low Earth Orbit
Brief Program Summary: This program is anticipated to be a single phase consisting of a 36 month base technical effort with a 24 month optional period, plus 3 months for the final report. The technical effort of the program will focus on development of a combined computational and experimental approach for materials discovery and development low-earth-orbit applications through strong, organic collaborations between the Recipient and USAF researchers. The program will seek to grow these collaborations by funding graduate students at the Recipient institution(s) performing exceptional basic research in materials problem spaces to advance materials for space and spacecraft systems. Research under this program should produce actionable, quantifiable information that furthers fundamental knowledge of materials systems.
The Recipient is expected to consist of an interdisciplinary team including researchers with expertise in materials science, aerospace systems, and data analytics. As such, multi-investigator teaming across departments, disciplines, and institutions (if applicable) is highly encouraged. Emphasis should be placed on transformative concepts, over incremental efficiency gains, to demonstrate the capacity to accelerate technology development for space applications. Developing students with cross-expertise in the areas listed above and the ability to effectively communicate between these technical communities is paramount. To ensure the collaborative effort, graduate students participating in the CoE are expected to perform research under the direction of an AFRL S&E for approximately 8-12 weeks each year on site at AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB. Additional quarterly visits between the Recipient and AFRL S&Es involved in the program are expected.
Open SBIR/STTR Solicitations
Pacific-AFRL-National Agency Computing Environment for Analytics (PANACEA)
Updated Date Offers Due: Dec 15, 2024 11:59 pm MST
PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME: This BAA will remain open for a period of SEVEN (7) years from the date of publication. NO PROPOSALS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED AGAINST THIS OVERARCHING BAA. Proposal due dates and times will be specified in CALLs published separately from the overarching announcement. Proposals received after the due date and time specified in the CALL shall be governed by the provisions of FAR 52.215- 1(c)(3). It should be noted that this installation observes strict security procedures to enter the facility. These security procedures are NOT considered an interruption of normal Government processes, and proposals received after the above stated date and time as a result of security delays will be considered “late”. Note: If offerors use commercial carriers for delivery of proposals, carriers may not honor time-of-day delivery guarantees on military installations. Early proposal submission is encouraged.
Search available grants
Super Goggle Digital Design Challenge
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is seeking a high-performance, multi-capable goggle that can replicate “outside the cockpit” visual environments for advanced synthetic flight training. Successful solutions could enhance, broaden, and complement current and future training programs for the United States Air Force (USAF), broader Department of Defense (DoD) agencies, and our allies
System for Award Management
TACTICAL Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)
This is a five (5) year Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) describing the research areas of interest for the Directed Energy Directorate. This BAA approach allows for proposal submittals at a specified date and time, which will be posted through the issuance of Calls at various times against this BAA. This BAA will be reviewed no less frequently than annually and updates will be published in the System for Award Management (SAM) (https://sam.gov). Any changes or cancellation of the BAA will be posted as amendments to this BAA. This annual review and subsequent amendment to the BAA shall meet the requirement of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 35.016 to publish the BAA no less frequently than annually. As technical requirements are identified, Calls may be issued in SAM.gov to request proposals for specific research efforts. These subsequent Calls will contain specific descriptions of the research effort to be addressed, anticipated period of performance, information peculiar to the specific research technical topic area, and the estimated funding profile for the Call.
Technical Applications for Optical Space Situational Awareness (TAOS)
Updated Date Offers Due: Feb 15, 2024 11:59 pm MST
The Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate (AFRL/RDS), located at Kirtland AFB, NM, is the Air Force's center of expertise for directed energy and optical technologies. The Directorate develops and transitions technologies in four core technical competencies: lasers systems, high power electromagnetics, weapons modeling and simulation, and directed energy and electro-optics for space superiority.
AFRL/RDS is seeking new methods for overcoming space object observing constraints. The goal of the Technical Applications for Optical Space Situational Awareness (TAOS) BAA is to acquire Research & Development (R&D) to advance adaptive optics capabilities for daytime and all-season performance. This BAA will also advance R&D in orbital mechanics, machine learning, and advanced atmospheric turbulence characterization and forecasting with a goal of enabling more effective space object observational planning tools.